When God Cried!
John 11
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus knew Mary and Martha when they invited them into their home in Bethany, where their brother Lazarus also lived. They were some of the more close and personal friends of Jesus. So when Jesus heard reports from the sisters that Lazarus had become sick and was facing death, it seemed odd that Jesus didn't rush to go see him. But Jesus said, "It is my father's glory that he is sick and it will not lead to death." Jesus stayed for two more days and then went to Bethany. Martha was the first to meet him and said, "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died. But even now you I know God will give you whatever you ask." Martha's tone is more matter of fact and yet she expresses belief that one day her brother will rise again at the resurrection.
Then, in the above passage after Martha tells Mary, she runs to meet Jesus. She says the same thing, "Lord if you had been here my brother wouldn't have died." Whereas Martha was the more practical one, Mary says this to Jesus in tears. And then the real meat of the passage comes. When Jesus sees Mary weeping he becomes deeply troubled in spirit. And then in the shortest verse in the bible it says, "Jesus wept!" If ever we doubted the humanness of Jesus, here we see he experienced deep emotions with those he loved. Though Jesus ministered to many people, it doesn't mean he didn't get emotionally attached to some of them. Jesus knew that his death would be reversed, but in the moment he is caught up in Mary's grief.
Since Jesus always represents who God is in all he does, this story reveals the heart of God. It shows the heart of God for those who are hurting and suffering loss. A lot of people ask the question, "Where is God when someone is suffering?". The answer is, "He is right there holding their hand." If Jesus cried, it means God cries. God hears the cries of His people. The bible says, "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." Psalm 145:8
Who do you know who needs to know that when they are grieving Jesus grieves with them? That is why Paul tells us to "grieve with those who are grieving", and "when one part of the body suffers, we all suffer." As we walk through hard emotions with them we show that God cares and sometimes God cries with them.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus knew Mary and Martha when they invited them into their home in Bethany, where their brother Lazarus also lived. They were some of the more close and personal friends of Jesus. So when Jesus heard reports from the sisters that Lazarus had become sick and was facing death, it seemed odd that Jesus didn't rush to go see him. But Jesus said, "It is my father's glory that he is sick and it will not lead to death." Jesus stayed for two more days and then went to Bethany. Martha was the first to meet him and said, "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died. But even now you I know God will give you whatever you ask." Martha's tone is more matter of fact and yet she expresses belief that one day her brother will rise again at the resurrection.
Then, in the above passage after Martha tells Mary, she runs to meet Jesus. She says the same thing, "Lord if you had been here my brother wouldn't have died." Whereas Martha was the more practical one, Mary says this to Jesus in tears. And then the real meat of the passage comes. When Jesus sees Mary weeping he becomes deeply troubled in spirit. And then in the shortest verse in the bible it says, "Jesus wept!" If ever we doubted the humanness of Jesus, here we see he experienced deep emotions with those he loved. Though Jesus ministered to many people, it doesn't mean he didn't get emotionally attached to some of them. Jesus knew that his death would be reversed, but in the moment he is caught up in Mary's grief.
Since Jesus always represents who God is in all he does, this story reveals the heart of God. It shows the heart of God for those who are hurting and suffering loss. A lot of people ask the question, "Where is God when someone is suffering?". The answer is, "He is right there holding their hand." If Jesus cried, it means God cries. God hears the cries of His people. The bible says, "The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love." Psalm 145:8
Who do you know who needs to know that when they are grieving Jesus grieves with them? That is why Paul tells us to "grieve with those who are grieving", and "when one part of the body suffers, we all suffer." As we walk through hard emotions with them we show that God cares and sometimes God cries with them.
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